Folding wardrobe cupboard, or the like.



A. ULIiOM, v FOLDING WARDROBE, CUPBOARD, on THE LIKE.

APPLIUATIOR PILBD H3116. 1909.

047 292; iii/m3 Patented ,Sept; 7, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

A. 'ULLOM. FOLDING WARDROBE, UUPBOARD, OR THE LIKE.

APPLIOATION FILED I'll-13.16, 1909.

Patented Sept. 7, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

W15 Ewe/m0) M (C O n U w am e M amm UNITED STATES PATENT orrio.

ALBERT ULLOM: ,OF RICHMOND, INDIANA, assrenon or ONE-HA F T0 HENRYEIKEN- BERRY, OF RICHMOND, INDIANA.

. Specif cation of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. "7, 1909.

Application filed February 15, 1909. Serial No. 477,862.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known'tha-t I, ALBERT ULLoM, a citizen of the United States,- anda resident of the city of Richmond, in the county of Wayne and State ofIndiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in FoldingWardrobes, Cupboards, or the Like, of which the following is a full,clear, and accurate specification, being such as will enable others tomake and use the same with absolute exactitude. I

In this invention my object, broadly-speak ing, is to provide an.article of furniture which will be strong and durable in construction,attractive in appearance, easily operated and controlled, and adapted tooccupy but a minimum of space when not in use and when being moved fromplace to place.

More particularly stated my object is to provide a wardrobe or cupboardwhich may be partially collapsed to reduce its thickness or depth,whereby it maybe more easily moved from one locationto another, and whennot in use it may be caused to occupy a comparatively small amount ofspace. And, finally, my object is to provide a ward robe, cupboard, orthe like in which several parts thereof may be folded yet preventing anyof the parts becoming detached and whereby all of the parts may bequickly brought to position whendesired.

Other minor objects and particular advantages of my invention will bebrought out and made apparent in the course of this specification, andthat which is new will be correlated in the appenc led claim. i

The preferred manner for carrying out the objects of my presentinvention, and that which in practice has been found to be the mostpractical and desirable, is shown in the accompanying two sheets ofdrawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective View of an article offurniture constructed in accordance with my invention, showing the sameclosed and in operative position. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of thesame as shown in Fig. 1, except that the doors are shown opened out toexhibit the interior, and taken from a different view point. Fig. 3shows an end elevation showing the article of furniture collapsed andout of operative position. Fig. 4 is a central longitudinal sectiontaken through the article when in the condition shown in Fig. 3. AndFig.5 is a central horizontal section, as taken on the line ww of Fig. 8, orFig. 4. I

Similar indices denote like parts throughout the several views.

. In order that the construction, operation, and advantages of myinvention may be more fully understood and appreciated I will now takeup a detail exposition thereof in which I will describe the Same asfully and as comprehensively as I may.

The relatively fixed section of my invention comprises a back A, havingsecured thereto the two vertical and comparatively narrow sides B and B,the lower portion of said sides forming the rear legs. Letter C denotesthe top of the fixed portion, this being formed to extend fartherforward than do said sides. Connecting the sides, B and B, andcontacting with the back A and the undersideof the top G, is, thereinforcement D, shown only in section and that in Fig. &.

The relatively movable section of the invention comprises the top 1,which is of same length but of less width than is the top C to which itis connected by hinges a and (4' whereby it may be turned back as shownin Figs. 3 and 4.

The indices 2 and 2 denote the two sides of the movable section, theybeing of same length as the sides B and B, and they are of substantiallythe same width as said sides B and B.

The top 1 projects both forward of and to the rear of the sides 2 and 2,to which it is secured, for the purpose hereinafter set forth.

Connecting the lower portions of the sides a 2 and 2 is the strip 3.Extending between the sides 2. and 2 is the base strip 4 which contactswith thestrip 3 and extends out flush with the sides 2 and 2, and whoseupper edge is slightly lower than the upper edge of strip 3. Extendingbetween the sides 2 and 2, at their upper ends, is the strip Hinged tothe inner edges of the sides 2 and 2 are the doors 6 and 7,respectively, which are adapted to be secured by the catch 8. The door 6is hinged to the side 3 by hinges 9 and 10, and the door 7 is hinged tothe side 2 by the hinges l1 and 12.

Numeral 13 denotes the cap, which is of same length as the top 1 andextends up from near its forward edge and at right horizontally, as inFig. 2, in which latter hinges J, and forms a support for the rear roundmember L whose length is the same as angles thereto, to which it isconnected by the hinges 14 and 15 which allow it to be turned back, asin Figs. 3 and 1.

Disposed bet-ween the sides B and 2 are the panels 16 and 17 which areidentical in form with each other, and they are connected together bythe hinges 18 and 19 to allow their outer faces to fold in contact witheach other. The panel 17 is hinged to the side B by the hinges 20 (oneabove and one below) corresponding with hinges 18 and 19; and the panel16 is hinged to the side 2 by corresponding hinges 21. Said two pair ofhinges 20 and 21 are so located as to allow said panels 16 and 17 toswin inward, as indicated in Fig. 5.

Disposed between the sides B and 2 are the panels 22 and 23 which areidentical in form with each other and with the panels 16 and 17. Saidpanels 22 and 23 are connected by the hinges 24 and 25 so as to allowtheir outer faces to fold in contact with each other. The panel 23 ishinged to the side B by hinges 26 (one above and one below); and thepanel 22 is hinged to the side 2 by the hinges 27. Said hinges 26 and 27are so located as to allow said panels 22 and 23 to swing inward asindicated in Fig. 5. Y

Secured to and extending across the upper portion of the back A is thestrip or bracket E to which is attached, by a pair of hinges b, theshelf F which is adapted to swing down vertically, as in Fig. 4, or tobe turned position it may be secured by a pair of hooks G which arepivoted to the inner faces of the sides 2 and 2 and which hooks areadapted to engage in screw eyes or the like H which are secured in thesurface of the shelf F, only one of said hooks and one of said eyesappearing in the drawings. Said shelf F is of such width as to extendout to the doors, 6 and 7, when it is in horizontal position.

Letter I denotes the bottom, which is attached by a pair of hinges J tothe inner face of the back A, from which it may extend forwardhorizontally the same distance as does the shelf F, and with which itcor responds in length; or it may be turned up vertically as shown inFigs. 4 and 5.

Letter K designates a strip secured across the inner face of the backA,below the edge of the bottom I, when it is in operative position. Theforward edge of the bottom I is adapted to rest on the strip 8, as indicated in Fig. 2. V I

It is apparent that the members C and 1 extend out at their ends beyondthe sides and panels of the device. Secured to the underside of themember C is the quarterthe width of the member C, one face of saidmember L contacts with the side B; and a second member, not shown, whichis identical in form with the member L, is secured to the underside ofthe opposite end portion of the member C and this is adapted to contactwith the side 13. Corresponding with said members L is a quarter-roundmember M secured to the underside of the member 1., extending to therear edge thereof and adapted to contact with the outer face of the side2; and a second member, like the member M, is attached across theunderside of the opposite end portion of the member 1 and this isdenoted by the letter N, and it is adapted to contact with the side 2.Connecting the members M and N across the front, and secured to theunderside of the member 1, is the quarter-round member 1, one side ofwhich is adapted to contact with the face of the member 5 and theforward edges of the sides 2 and 2.

The letter Q denotes an inner catch, for connecting the door 6 to themember 5.

The operation of my invention is quite simple: Supposing the device tobe in operative position, as in Fig. l, and desiring to reduce it to itsminimum of compactness ;I first turn back the cap 13, and then turn backthe member 1 to the position shown in Figs. 3 and l. I next turn thebottom I back against the side A, and then release the shelf F and allowit. to swing down, bringing these parts to the position shown in Figs.4: and 5. The next operation is to double the panels 16-17 and 2223inward, as in Fig. 5, which, it is apparent, will bring the front of thedevice toward the back, thereby reducing the thickness of the device tosuch extent that it may be more easily handled, and causing it to occupyless space. It is apparent that the device may be unfolded by a reversalof said operations, and when in operative position the several partscontribute to holding the device in rigid condition; the shelf and thebottom preventing the panels from being turned inward, while the saidquarter-round members prevent any of the parts from moving outwardfarther than they should.

Having now fully shown and described the best manner for theconstruction of my invention to me known at this time, what I claim anddesire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

In a device of the character described, the combination of a backsection, a front section, hinged panels loosely connecting the twosections and admitting of the two sections being moved either toward oraway from each other, a strip carried by the front section, a bottomhinged at its upper and rear edge to the back section so as to swing upagainst the same when the two sections are moved together, the forwardedge of the bottom resting upon the before mentioned strip when thebottom is lowered, and the In testimony WhereofIhave hereunto subbottolnthen holding the two sections apart scribed my name to thisspecification in the in operative position With the panels dispresenceof two subscribing Witnesses.

tended, and an independent supporting strip ALBERT ULLOM. secured to theback section under the bottom Wltnesses: in position to support the rearedge of the HENRY EIKENBERRY,

bottom when the same is lowered. R. E. RANDLE.

